Cryptic crossword clue
President in a Middle East dilemma initially attacked 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word AMBUSHED

I've seen this crossword clue in Financial Times
A
M
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "attacked" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case attacked = ambushed.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does AMBUSHED mean?

AMBUSHED verb
  1. To station in ambush with a view to surprise an enemy.
  2. To attack by ambush; to waylay.
AMBUSHED adjective
  1. Having been the target of an ambush.
  2. Having been subjected to a shock for which one is unprepared.

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